When I first started my blog when I was working in London, I sent the link to a few close friends to show them the restaurants I had been to. I have a tendency to ramble on, both in person and (as you may have noticed by now) in my reviews. My friend N is not a huge fan of reading text, and after going through my reviews, he said, “There are just 3 things I need to know. The restaurant’s name, address, and how many points you would give it out of 5” – and that was the birth of my 5-star rating system!

While I would of course hope that people actually read what I have written, I myself admittedly just skim through restaurant reviews most of the time. Most people read reviews with one predominant question in mind: so should I go to this restaurant? Hopefully my guide below will tell you!

★★★★★ – The food is outstanding, and the restaurant is really special. These are the restaurants that I hope you would try, at least once!

★★★★☆ – The food on the whole is excellent, and everything else (decor, service etc.) is good. It missed a star probably because one or two dishes could have been better, but it’s still a fantastic place for a meal!

★★★☆☆ – This place is okay, literally. I wouldn’t recommend it, but if you want to try it out I wouldn’t stop you either.

★★☆☆☆ – The food is below average. The restaurant may be famous or may look appealing, but go at your own risk!